A Knight of Repentance
by Grykon
Summary: Continuing my AU 1000 re-imagining of Scorpion. An evil vanquished, a line crossed, a great threat upon the morrow. AU 1000.003


Paige felt the strong arms holding her aloft, almost crushing her rib cage, but rather than fight against it, she embraced it and seemingly melted into Lord Walter's embrace, to the point of wrapping her legs about his waist and arms about his head and squeezing him back. Lord Walter felt something he hadn't felt in his thirty years, so alien it was, completeness, and their embrace lingered well beyond the victory he felt, when he became aware of a salient feature of Paige that was cushioned against his throat and jaw. His eyes opened in shock at that realization and he tried to look up but her arms about his head gripped him tightly.

"Uh, oh, ah, Mi-Mistress Paige, my-my apologizes." Lord Walter said as he inhaled her fragrance and his thoughts seemed to cloud over.

She loosened her grip upon his head and leaned back to look down at his handsome face. Clearly he was nervous if not actually scared. She frowned, "Lord Walter, are you unwell?"

"I-I, uh, feel, light headed." He told her.

She quickly released her legs and he sat her back down. "Put your head down as close to your knees as you can." Paige told him.

Lord Walter did as she told him and then he saw her bare feet, the delicate features of feet seemed to increase the light headedness and he quickly stood up straight and turned away from her and laid his hand against the bridge post for balance.

"Lord Walter? She asked confused and stepped around and put herself under his arm, "Put your arm around my shoulders, I'll walk with you to the other side and you can get back on your horse."

"T-Th-That might not be the best idea." Lord Walter told her. He inhaled deeply several times before he looked into her eyes, "Let us walk as comrades for now across the great bridge and we can talk as we ride back to the keep." He smiled at her as he felt his strength returning.

Paige smiled, "I think I would like that." She stepped over and picked up the remains of her short sword, the vile and unholy form of the shade had corroded over half of the sword. Paige frowned as she looked at the blade, "I guess I need to purchase a new weapon."

"Nay, your weapon was lost in defense of the land and I shall replace it, on the morrow we shall visit the smithy, Happy will surely have a blade that will meet with your approval." Lord Walter told her.

Paige smiled and laid her hand upon Lord Walter's arm as he put his hand upon his sword hilt trying to draw extra strength from the cold steel as they began walking when he seemed to think of something, "Mistress Paige, your feet!" He exclaimed as he put his left arm behind her shoulders and bent over and scooped her up so her knees were over his right arm and began carrying her across the bridge. "The bridge isn't fit for walking barefoot. It's dirty and the wood is rough, too rough for such delicate skin."

Paige smiled, "Didn't seem so bad when I ran across it to come to you."

"Never the less, I shall see you safely back upon your mount." Lord Walter told her.

The guards saluted as Lord Walter emerged from the dark bridge carrying Paige. Lord Walter looked at the other horse and noticed its lack of saddle and reins, "Mistress, would you prefer to ride my steed, it would be more comfortable than this unsaddled beast." Lord Walter asked.

"I'll be more than happy to ride my mount my Lord, there wasn't a lot of time to bother with saddling when I came out of the keep." Paige told him as she still rested in his arms.

"Very well," Lord Walter told her as he carried her over and lifted her high up and sat her on the horse. He turned and saluted his men before climbing up into his saddle.

The guards smiled as they rode off, "I think our village temple will have something to ring its bell about one day soon." One of the guards said.

* * *

They followed the road through the village, their pace was slow and sedate, while most of the villagers had by this time reentered their homes some few who didn't need to be up as early lingered and greeted their Lord as he passed by.

As they left the village behind a thought came to Paige and she didn't like the possible answer, "Did you expect trouble when Raynold joined us on the tower my Lord?" Paige asked.

"Of a certainty, the protections of my lands will repeal all manor of foul beasts and spirits. Only those of exceptional vileness or of no ill intent would dare to cross." Lord Walter told her.

Paige grew angry, "I thought you hired me to aid you?"

Lord Walter grew puzzled, "Of course I did."

"Then why did you send me away like a school girl? Why wasn't your first response to include me?" Paige demanded.

Lord Walter was shocked at her anger and he opened his mouth to reply but no words came to his mind and he slowly closed his mouth. 'Why didn't I take her with me? It's not like she was asleep, I had to put on my armor so she had time to get dressed and wouldn't have had to hurry out without boots.' He looked at Paige and he could see something that looked like hurt on her face, perhaps a bit of humiliation? "You're right; I am covered with shame at my lack of consideration. I do not know why I chose to shield you when clearly I shouldn't have. You are a very able bodied companion. I suppose that it is my nature to protect everyone even those whom I enlist to aid me. I humbly apologize." Lord Walter told her.

Paige turned to look at him, the moonlight illuminating his face, "I accept your apology Lord Walter, but understand, I am not here to be taken care of, you offered me employment to aid you. If all I wanted to do is to sing and tell stories in dining halls I could do that in any number of inns in the world. Treat me as such again and I will disappear with Ralph faster than you can draw your sword."

Lord Walter smiled as he inclined his head to Paige, "I will never insult you like that again Mistress."

They rode on in silence until they reached the livery yard, "If you want, I will take care of your mount and you may retire but I would welcome your company a bit longer if you wish to take care of it yourself." Lord Walter told her.

Paige smiled, "Thank you, it's my mount; I should take care of it."

After both mounts were taken care of Lord Walter escorted Paige to her room. "Sleep well Paige, I look forward to seeing you in the morning at breakfast. Perhaps afterwards you'll allow me to escort you and Ralph around the lands."

Paige smiled, "I think I would like that Lord Walter."

Lord Walter smiled after Paige had closed her door and stepped down to his door and as his hand touched the handle he stopped and turned to walk on down the hall.

* * *

Paige was a little surly when her chambermaid stepped in to wake her. But then remembering Lord Walter's invitation to join him for a tour of the lands after breakfast, she quickly climbed out of bed, and she found her green leathers were missing as the chambermaid explained she'd taken them to be cleaned. Paige nodded and opened the closet and found that Raynold had someone place a number of dresses within. She found a rather gorgeous purple one but she felt that wouldn't be right since purple was supposed to be nobility, instead she chose a sky blue dress. She quickly got ready.

She walked into the dining hall and saw Sir Cabe and Sylvester already at the dining table. "Minstrel Paige, it is the Lord's wish we not wait for him for breakfast. I trust you slept well." Sir Cabe greeted her as he stood up until she sat down.

"Thank you Sir Cabe, it was a good but short night, what with the shade that confronted Lord Walter last night. But we dealt with the foul spirit." Paige told him.

They both stared at her, "A shade, here at the keep?" Sir Cabe asked.

Paige shook her head as she spread butter on a piece of toast, "We fought it just the other side of the bridge."

"You think that is why he is in his temple?" Sylvester asked Sir Cabe.

Sir Cabe looked over at Sylvester, "For a shade? Don't be absurd."

* * *

Ralph had received word from Raynold that Lord Walter wanted him to saddle his mount and two other steeds, and he had hurriedly ran out before breakfast to see the task completed. After readying Lord Walter's charger he led her into the yard and he turned and saw an unsaddled horse standing just outside of the yard. Its coat, glossy black that seemed to reflect bits of red as the light reflected off of it. His face became puzzled as he was sure the horse hadn't been there when he entered the stable. As he walked over the horse reared up and neighed with a crackling, gravely sound. One of the livery hands ran out at the sound and he shouted a warning but Ralph was slow to respond and the beast struck, kicking him in the head before disappearing.

The hand ran over and found Ralph unconscious, the flesh torn on his forehead and he could see the lad's skull clearly. Jumping up he ran into the keep and to the entrance of the great dining hall, fighting, trying to pass the guards, "My Lord," he screamed out in desperation.

Sir Cabe stood as he looked up, "Let him pass."

"Sir Cabe, Master physician, come, quickly, the lad, the Lord's squire, he was attacked by a foul beast and his life hangs in the balance." He warned them.

Paige looked up in horror, "Ralph?" Paige ran from the hall followed closely by Sir Cabe, Toby and the others. "No," Paige screamed as she saw Ralph lying on the ground, people gathering around him.

Paige ran over and fell to her knees and pulled Ralph up into her arms, "My baby."

Toby quickly knelt down on the other side and examined the wound as best he could. He looked up at Cabe and shook his head. "I'm sorry Minstrel Paige." Sir Cabe told her.

Paige looked up, "It's not too late." She ran back into the keep and up the stairs to her room cursing herself for not keeping her lute with her. Grabbing it she ran back down as quickly as she could. Dropping down next to Ralph she began playing an ancient melody and all around her, the gathered people felt the effects of the music as their aches and pains receded and they could see Ralph's injury slowly trying to heal. But there seemed to be something else, something though impeding the magic she was invoking.

* * *

Lord Walter had knelt in his private temple to Athena since he'd said goodnight to Paige. He was concerned for his actions and he was seeking some kind of solace or absolution as well as guidance from his goddess when the door burst open. "Forgive me Lord Walter; it is a matter of extreme importance. Your squire has been attacked and lies near death. Master Toby isn't able to do anything and Minstrel Paige's power isn't strong enough." Raynold told him.

Lord Walter's head shot up and he was on his feet and running through the keep even before he knew where Ralph was but it seemed he didn't need that information and he charged out the grand door and saw the gathered throng of people about Ralph's fallen form. "Disperse," he commanded in a voice heard far outside of the keep, even out into the harvest fields. He could hear the desperate singing of Paige and he came to stand before them. "Fear not Mistress, it is not too late, we shall raise your son up from this lowly place." Slowly he knelt down beside her and he reached out and placed his right hand to Ralph's chest as his left pulled a necklace out from under his tunic. Taking the emblem of an owl that was on it within his hand he closed his eyes, "By the grace of the goddess Athena." That same intense bright white light from last night erupted around him seeming to pulse out and upon Ralph, and Paige stared in amazement as an inky blackness seeped out of the wound before it instantly closed.

Sir Cabe began chanting and the inky blackness rose higher and away from Ralph. Sylvester reached into his robes and withdrew a silver powder and flung it into the air as he spoke ancient words and everyone watching could see a bluish energy that seemed to escape his mouth as the words came forth and intertwined around the blackness finally solidifying into a cage trapping it and Sylvester caught it as it fell.

Ralph's eyes opened as he took in a deep breath and Paige dropped her lute and pulled him back up into her arms.

Lord Walter smiled and reached out his hand and placed it upon her back, "Welcome back my squire."

"Mistress Paige, let's take the lad inside, he needs a good meal now." Lord Walter said as he stood.

Paige looked up into his eyes with a smile and slowly nodded as Lord Walter grabbed Ralph and heaved him up into the crook of his arm, his head on his shoulder as one might carry a small child. He reached his free hand down and helped Paige to stand.

As they turned to go to the keep Lord Walter looked at the livery hands, "Prepare two more mounts for our use after breakfast."

Sir Cabe stood with Sylvester as they watched them walk into the keep, "A shade last night and now an attack within the keep yard. And it hasn't even been a full day since they arrived." Sylvester told Sir Cabe.

Sir Cabe nodded, "But as our Lord as commanded, support him or hit the road."

Lord Walter smiled as he watched Ralph eat as if he was famished. Lord Walter looked at Paige, "Mistress," he nodded his head away from the table as he stood up and took several steps away and waited for her to join him.

"I must apologize Mistress, I promised that you and your son were safe here and not even twelve hours later your son was almost killed. I know not how this happened, but I promise I will find out how and I will stop it from happening again." Lord Walter told her, shame clearly on his face.

Paige smiled as she reached up and touched his face, with her voice a scant whisper, "My dear sweet Walter, you saved my son, this could have happened anywhere but how many could have saved his life? You have nothing to be ashamed or sorry of." She kissed his cheek tenderly, "Thank you my Lord."

"If you and the lad are still up for it, I would still like to escort you around the lands." Lord Walter told her with a smile.

As they returned to their seats she told him, "I believe we both would still enjoy that Lord Walter."


End file.
